Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Papilio pilumnus - Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180

Three-Tailed Swallowtail - Papilio pilumnus Three-Tailed Swallowtail - Papilio pilumnus Three-Tailed Swallowtail - Papilio pilumnus - male Three-Tailed Swallowtail - Papilio pilumnus - female Three-Tailed Swallowtail - Papilio pilumnus - female
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails, Parnassians)
Subfamily Papilioninae
Tribe Papilionini (Fluted Swallowtails)
Genus Papilio
Species pilumnus (Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180)
Hodges Number
4180
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Pterourus pilumnus--sometimes this and relates species are split out from Papilio
Explanation of Names
Papilio pilumnus Boisduval, 1836
Identification
Upperside of both fore- and hindwings yellow with black basal band. Wings bordered by a black band with submarginal yellow stripe. Hindwing has 3 tails and 2 blue spots above the shortest tail
Range
s TX (as a stray) to C. Amer. (BOA, MPG)
Habitat
Tropical woodlands
Season
March-October in Mexico
Food
Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of Litsea tree in Lauraceae family.
Remarks
Kendall & McGuire (1984) discuss several s. TX records (1)
Print References
Kendall, R.O., & W.W. McGuire. 1984. Some new and rare records of Lepidoptera found in Texas. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum 86: 1-50. (1)
Internet References
Works Cited
1.Some new and rare records of Lepidoptera found in Texas.
Kendall, R.O., & W.W. McGuire. 1984. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum 86: 1-50.